PARIS — A youth soccer coach in the Oxford Hills School District has tested positive for COVID-19.
The soccer program is run by the Oxford Hills Athletic Boosters and is not affiliated with Maine School Administrative District 17.
According to boosters President Joe Trybus, the individual who tested positive Monday was the coach of one of the eight third- and fourth-grade teams. None of the players on the team have tested positive or have shown symptoms.
The Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention has instructed the players to self quarantine until they receive further instructions from the Maine CDC, SAD 17 Superintendent Rick Colpitts said. As of Thursday, the players were still home from school.
The coach took the test after learning one of his acquaintances had tested positive, Trybus said. He added that the coach is doing well and just has mild symptoms.
“Hopefully this is where it stops,” said Trybus, who has been involved in youth athletics in Oxford Hills for more than 30 years.
The team last played Saturday in Harrison. Those two teams will not play this weekend and should be back in action the following Saturday. The league’s players come from the eight SAD 17 towns: Norway, Paris, Oxford, Otisfield, West Paris, Hebron, Waterford and Harrison. The teams do not play opponents from outside the district.
The boosters club has guidelines in place to protect players and coaches from coronavirus, including social distancing and replacing the game ball with a sanitized ball before each free kick. Mask-wearing for coaches is recommended but not required.
The coach did not recall being within 6 feet of any player for more than a few seconds during the game, Trybus said.
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